Recap - Hanley powers Sox past Astros

Jim Monaghan
Contributing Writer

Photo courtesy of the Boston Red Sox
Hanley Ramirez's two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning proved to be the difference as the Red Sox beat the Astros 5-4 on Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park.

Houston had taken a 4-3 lead on back-to-back home runs in the top of the inning.

The win gave the Sox two out of three against the team with the second-best record in the American League. Boston has won twelve of their last nineteen.

The Ramirez blast, his 18th of the year, was set up by an 11-pitch at bat by David Ortiz that resulted in a walk.

Pablo Sandoval and Ryan Hanigan each had three hits to lead Boston.

Eduardo Rodriguez started for the Red Sox. He gave up one run on six hits and two walks while striking out eight in the no-decision. Matt Barnes was the winner in relief. Koji Uehara earned his nineteenth save.

Ortiz started at first base in place of the slumping Mike Napoli. The last time Ortiz started a game at first at Fenway was nearly a decade ago, July 16, 2005. Hanley Ramirez was the designated hitter. Napoli came into the game as a defensive replacement for Ortiz in the top of the eighth inning.

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